My Go-to Tune-Up Exercise by Hannah Sparks
If you’re like me and you love taking your notes by hand or on your ipad, your hands will definitely appreciate you with a TuneUp ball. Recently, Hey, I’m Here Squad members were gifted Tune-Up balls and we were taught different ways to use them!
My favorite tune-up exercise. My personal favorite exercise to do with the Tune Up balls is to run them along my forearm, and my wrist. I use my hands for different things whether writing notes, journaling, or even crafting. I’m currently in college, and with that comes long lectures where I have to take notes daily, which can lead to a lot of tension within my hands. Sometimes I can feel my hands cramping after writing quickly to catch something my professor said. This tune-up exercise gives me an easy way to relieve the tension within my hands anywhere at any time! It’s small and portable and I can easily slip it into my backpack, so when I’m out of my dorm studying, and I feel tension or pain I can use the Tune-up ball to help ease the pain.
How I incorporate this in my daily life. Once I incorporated this exercise into my life, I started to do it unconsciously. I would usually do it during my study breaks, which is when I’m using my hands the most, after an hour or two of either writing notes or finishing up my assignments. It has become a way to reset before starting my next task. I don’t always need to schedule a time to do it, but I’m able to just do it anytime I feel that I need to relax or the tension in my hands. I really love doing it at the end of the day to help me release the tension and fully unwind before I go to bed.
I was able to find times when I was already taking a break, or relaxing to add this exercise into. Once you start to incorporate this exercise into your daily routine it can be hard to go back! I’ve found that during times I’m already starting to wind-down or trying to relax helps me incorporate it into my life. The exercises have helped my hand to feel more relaxed, and relieved the cramps I experience after long periods of note-taking. I’ve started to become more aware of my hands throughout the day, and how I use my hands on a daily basis. I’m able to check-in with my body and practice self-care, which is something I’ve been trying to do more.
Overall, the use of the Tune-up balls have allowed me to relieve the tension and cramps that I get in my hand while studying, and has truly become a part of my routine. Hopefully you can find a way to incorporate your favorite Tune Up ball exercise into your daily routine and enjoy it as much as I have!
To learn more about our monthly meetings with the Hey, I’m Here Squad and ways to Tune Up, head over to our social media: www.instagram.com/heyimhereohio
Additional tools for when you may be in crisis:
U.S. Crisis Text Line: 741-741
Ohio Mobile Response and Stabilization Services: 1-888-418-MRSS (6777)